Worst Performer Closed End Funds 2012 for Past 5 Years

Some of worst performer closed end funds for the past 5 years are RENN Global Entrepreneurs, Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Strategy, Helios Strategic Income, etc. You can find the fund review below.

Worst Performer CEFs

These worst performers are selected based on its market price performance for the past 5 years (up to August 5th, 2012). They may also have high expense ratio and worst management. These closed end funds (CEFs) can be categorized into domestic stock funds, high yield bond funds, international stock funds, world stock funds, etc.

The 10 worst performer closed end funds of 2012 for the past 5 years are:

Closed End Funds

1. RENN Global Entrepreneurs (RCG)
2. Guggenheim Enhanced Equity Strategy (GGE)
3. Helios Strategic Income (HSA)
4. Helios Multi-Sector High Income (HMH)
5. Equus Total Return (EQS)
6. Helios High Income (HIH)
7. Helios Advantage Income (HAV)
8. New Ireland Fund (IRL)
9. Templeton Russia & East European (TRF)
10. Alpine Total Dynamic Dividend (AOD)

Updated on 8/8/2012

Best Target Date 2000-2010 Mutual Funds 2012

Some of the best target date 2000-2010 balanced mutual funds of 2012 are Vanguard Target Retirement 2010, T. Rowe Price Retirement 2005, Fidelity Freedom 2010, etc. You can find the fund review.

Target Date Mutual Funds

Top Target Date Mutual Funds

One of the popular balanced mutual fund sectors is target date mutual fund. It is also known as lifecycle fund or asset allocation fund. It invests in stocks, bonds, and money market. Typically it invests in other funds from the fund family.

These funds can be categorized into various classes such as retirement income, target date 2000-2010, target date 2011-2015, target date 2016-2020, target date 2050+, etc. The asset allocation is adjusted based on the target date of the fund objective.

The following top funds are sorted based on its long term performance, expense ratio, annual holdings turnover rate, management, etc. More fund details can be found below such as sales load, expense fee, top holdings, top sectors, worst performance, etc.

Best Target Date 2000-2010 Mutual Funds of 2012 are:

1. Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 Inv (VTENX)
2. T. Rowe Price Retirement 2005 (TRRFX)
3. Fidelity Freedom 2010 (FFFCX)
4. American Funds Target Date Retirement 2010 A (AAATX)
5. T. Rowe Price Retirement 2010 (TRRAX)
6. GuideStone Funds MyDestination 2005 GS4 (GMIZX)
7. MFS Lifetime 2010 A (MFSAX)
8. Fidelity Freedom 2005 (FFFVX)
9. Wells Fargo Advantage DJ Target 2010 Inv (WFCTX)
10. Fidelity Freedom 2000 (FFFBX)

updated on 8/6/2012

YTD Top Performer Large Cap Stock Exchange Traded Funds 2012

YTD top performer large cap stock exchange traded funds up to July 22 2012 are PowerShares QQQ, iShares Morningstar Large Growth Index, First Trust US IPO Index, etc.

Best Performing ETFs

These best performing exchange traded funds are sorted based on its year-to-date performance. You can find large growth ETFs, large blend ETFs, and large value ETFs in this list. These stock ETFs are investing in U.S. companies with large capitalization.

YTD Top Performer Large Cap Stock Exchange Traded Funds up to July 22 2012 are:

Top Performer ETFs

1. PowerShares QQQ (QQQ)
2. iShares Morningstar Large Growth Index (JKE)
3. First Trust US IPO Index (FPX)
4. PowerShares Fundamental Pure Large Growth (PXLG)
5. Fidelity Nasdaq Composite Index Tracking (ONEQ)
6. Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index ETF (MGK)
7. Guggenheim Russell Top 50 (XLG)
8. PowerShares Dynamic Large Cap Growth (PWB)
9. iShares Russell Top 200 Growth Index (IWY)
10. First Trust NASDAQ-100 ex-Tech Sec Index (QQXT)

updated on 8/3/2012

Van Eck International Investors Gold Fund (INIVX) Class A

Van Eck International Investors Gold Fund is another popular precious metals stock mutual fund. This Van Eck fund is part of sector equity mutual fund which focuses its investment in gold related companies. More review can be found as follows.

Van Eck International Investors Gold A (Ticker: INIVX)

The investment aim of Van Eck International Investors Gold fund is to seek long-term capital appreciation and its secondary consideration is to provide current income. This equity fund mainly invests >80% of assets in securities of companies engaged in gold-related activities, and in gold coins & bullion. It may invest small part of assets (<12.5%) in gold and silver coins, gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion. The fund invests in open-end funds, closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds.

Fund Profile

• Fund Inception Date: February 10, 1956
• Ticker Symbol: INIVX
• CUSIP: 921075503
• Beta (3yr): 72.25
• Rank in category (YTD): 71%
• Category: Equity Precious Metals
• Yield: 1.68%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.20%
• Net Assets: $ 1.37 billion

Best No Load World Stock Mutual Funds 2012

The 10 Best No Load World Stock Mutual Funds of 2012 are Dreyfus Worldwide Growth I, Wasatch World Innovators, Marsico Global, etc. You can find these top funds review in this article.

Top 10 Stock Funds

Best World Stock Funds

These top 10 world stock mutual funds are sorted based on its performance, quality, holdings, fees, etc. All of these funds are no load mutual funds. The world stock mutual funds invest mainly in equities of domestic and foreign companies. They may invest in other funds, common stocks, preferred stocks, etc. Additional investment risks information can be found in the fund prospectus.

The 10 Best No Load World Stock Mutual Funds of 2012 are:

1. Wasatch World Innovators (WAGTX)
2. Marsico Global (MGLBX)
3. Wintergreen Investor (WGRNX)
4. Tweedy, Browne Value (TWEBX)
5. Old Westbury Global Small & Mid Cap (OWSMX)
6. USAA World Growth (USAWX)
7. Oakmark Global Select I (OAKWX)
8. Managed Account Global SmallCap (MGCSX)
9. Janus Global Research D (JANGX)
10. Harding Loevner Global Equity Advisor (HLMGX)

Updated on 8/1/2012

Note: These best funds may be suitable for 2013 investment strategy as well.

Allianz NFJ International Value Fund (AFJAX) Class A

The Allianz NFJ International Value Fund (AFJAX) is a top rated stock mutual fund. This foreign large value equity fund invests in non-U.S. companies. You can find the fund review in this post.

Allianz NFJ International Value A (Ticker: AFJAX)

The investment aim of Allianz NFJ International Value fund is to seek long-term capital growth and income. This fund invests majority of its net assets in common stocks and other equity securities of non-U.S. companies with market capitalizations greater than $1 billion. It may invest in preferred stocks, convertible securities, American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), and warrants. It may invest <50% of assets in emerging market securities.

Fund Profile

Allianz NFJ International Value A

• Fund Inception Date: March 31, 2005
• Ticker Symbol: AFJAX
• CUSIP: 018920702
• Beta (3yr): 0.98
• Rank in category (YTD): 3%
• Category: Foreign Large Value
• Distribution: 2.12%
• Capital Gains: 0%
• Expense Ratio: 1.21%
• Net Assets: $ 2.05 billion
• Number of Years Up: 4 years
• Number of Years Down: 2 years
• Annual Turnover Rate: 48%

updated on 7/31/2012

Top Performer Precious Metals Exchange Traded Funds July 2012

The 10 top performer precious metals exchange traded funds up to July 29, 2012 are iShares COMEX Gold Trust, SPDR Gold Trust, PowerShares DB Gold Fund, etc.

Best Performing ETFs

These best performing exchange traded funds are sorted based on its YTD performance. There are a total of 20 ETFs in this precious metal ETF category. The expense ratios are ranging from 0.25% to 1%. The ETFs issuers are Barclays iPath, ETF Securities, Invesco PowerShares, iShares, RBS, State Street, and UBS.

Top Performer

The 10 top performer precious metals exchange traded funds up to July 29, 2012 are:

1. iShares COMEX Gold Trust (IAU)
2. SPDR Gold Trust (GLD)
3. ETF Securities Swiss Gold Shares (SGOL)
4. UBS E-TRACS CMCI Gold Total Return ETN (UBG)
5. PowerShares DB Gold Fund (DGL)
6. ETFS Physical Asian Gold Shares (AGOL)
7. RBS Gold Trendpilot ETN (TBAR)
8. PowerShares DB Precious Metals Fund (DBP)
9. iPath Dow Jones-AIG Precious Metals Total Return Sub-Index ETN (JJP)
10. ETFS Physical Precious Metal Basket Shares (GLTR)

Updated on 7/30/2012